Frankly Speaking: Be transparent about GLC heads

Less than a week after Pakatan Harapan won the May 9 general election and captured Putrajaya, heads began to roll in key administrative and institutional positions.

In the weeks that followed, the resignations and departures spread to important government-linked companies (GLCs). On June 6, Datuk Seri Mohammed Shazalli Ramly announced his resignation as managing director and CEO of Telekom Malaysia Bhd. Others expected to depart include Bursa Malaysia CEO Datuk Seri Tajuddin Atan and Petronas chairman Tan Sri Mohd Sidek Hassan. Speculation is also rife that Tan Sri Abdul Wahid Omar (Permodalan Nasional Bhd), Datuk Shahril Ridza Ridzuan (Employees Provident Fund) and Tan Sri Azman Mokhtar (Khazanah Nasional Bhd) may also be swept away by the current of change.

It is understandable that the new federal government wishes to root out political appointees to ensure the highest standards of professionalism, particularly at the very top of our key GLCs. However, there is a lack of clarity to the man on the street as to why certain GLC leaders are being, or could be, asked to resign.

While the reasons for removing them may be valid, the public must be informed about the grounds for their replacement.

This is important to give Malaysians the confidence that the new government’s actions are guided by good governance and it is not exacting revenge, or possibly vacating key GLC roles for its own “political appointees”.

The dictum “not only must justice be done, it must also be seen to be done” is clearly valid.